Danger of Sin Taxes

Sin may be in the eye of the beholder, but I generally favor sumptuary taxes on alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, gambling, what have you — call them sin taxes. Still, I have to recognize that opponents have a point when they argue that government may need revenue so much that it promotes “sin.” Here’s what’s happening with the North Carolina lottery in the Republican controlled N.C. House of Representatives: “The House plan relies on turbocharging lottery sales by more than 20 percent through increased advertising statewide.”